Ironing stand



July 27, 1954 T. s. zAsTRow IRoNI-NG STAND Filed Mayv 2, 1949 /NVENTOR THOMAS '3. ZASTROW A T TORNE Y vPatented July 27, 1954 IRONIN G STAND Thomas S. Zastrow, St. Paul, Minn., assigner to General Mills, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application May 2, 1949, Serial No. 90,895

Claims.

This invention relates to ironing stands and more particularly to a simplified form of insulated stand.

Numerous constructions have been proposed in the past for the support of an ordinary atiron or steam iron when the iron is not in use. Many of these stands include a layer of insulating material to prevent undesired transfer of heat from the iron to the table or other support on which the stand is placed. Many of these insulated stands are complicated and expensive to manufacture.

It is accordingly one object of the present invention to provide a simpliiied construction for an ironing stand.

A further object is the provision of a stand in which a metal supporting plate and a layer of heat-insulating material are combined in an improved manner.

Still another obj ect is an ironing stand in which a supporting plate and a heat insulating layer are rmly interconnected without the use of rivets, screws, or bolts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification in which a preferred form of ironing stand has been described.

In the drawings which form a part of this specication,

Figure l. is a perspective view of an ironing stand incorporating the improvements of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, but with the insulating material removed for clarity, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The ironing stand according to the present invention includes a supporting plate I0 which is preferably metallic. Supporting plate Ill has a downwardly extending peripheral flange I2 provided with spaced supporting projections I4 for engagement with a table or other surface on which the stand is to be located. Flange I2 and the spaced projections I4 support the plate lll a predetermined distance above the table and thus permit circulation of air beneath the plate. The

relatively narrow contact areas on the projections I 4 also reduce to a minimum the possibility ci heat transfer from the plate to the table or support.

In accordance with the invention, a portion of heat insulating material is mounted on the plate so that the insulating material lies above thev plate or projects above it. Thus an iron which gol. 24a-117.3)

is placed on the stand will be supported by the insulating material rather than directly by the metallic plate I. The insulated support serves a twofold purpose in that the relatively soft material of the insulating layer prevents damage to the soleplate oi the iron by scratching, and at the same time prevents direct transfer of heat from the iron soleplate to the supporting plate iii of the stand.

The stand of the present invention is particularly designed for use with a steam iron or steam ironing attachment. For this purpose, the insulating material has been selectively located on the supporting plate I0 of the stand at relatively small areas which are spaced from each other. Thus when the steam ironing device is placed on the stand, it will be held slightly above the sup porting plate I0 by the spaced areas of insulating material so that the discharge of steam from the iron may be continued Without blocking the usual steam outlets of the iron by the insulating areas and thereby condensing large quantities of moisture within the insulating material.

In the form of device shown in Fig. 1, the insulating material is arranged in two rows which are spaced from each other and substantially parallel to each other. The particular form of insulating material which is preferred is a woven tubular strip of asbestos fiber. Two such strips Idesignated as IB and I8 are mounted in spaced rows on plate I as described.

In order to lock the insulating strip I 6 readily, the supporting plate I0 is provided with a row of at least two spaced openings such as the openings 20 and 22 in the drawings. lIntermediate openings 2d and 2@ may be provided, if desired, these openings being separated by an integral retaining strip 28 beneath which the strip of insulating material l5 may be laced.

A substantial portion 2S of insulating strip I6 extends across the top of supporting plate l0 adjacent the opening 2U, i. e., in this case between openings Ztl and 24. A similar portion 30 of the insulating strip IS likewise extends across the top of the supporting plate adjacent the opening 22 and extending toward the opening 25. The free ends 3! and 32 of insulating strip i6 thus extend downwardly through the openings 2i] and 22 respectively to the region beneath the supporting plate ED.

The second and spaced strip of insulation I8 is similarly positioned with respect to corresponding openings 33, 34, 35, and 36 in the supporting plate. A strip 38 between openings 35 and 35 holds the central portion of strip i8 in position,

just as in the case of strip 28 in connection with insulating member It.

With respect to insulating strip IG, the inner edges of openings 20 and 22 are provided with downwardly projecting anges i0 and 22, respectively, around which the free ends 3| and 32 of the insulating material are doubled back beneath the plate. Projections 40 and 42 assist in preventing accidental withdrawal of the free ends of the strip through the openings 2Q and 22. Similar lips and iianges 413 may be provided at the outer edges of openings 2G and 22 and also at the outer edges of openings 24 and 2Q to provide a relatively smooth iinish at these points.

According to the invention suitable clamping means are provided on the supporting plate lil for engagement with the free ends 3| and 32 of the insulating strip I6 to clamp the free ends against the bottom of the supporting plate. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the clamping means for free end 3| include one or more integral lugs struck downwardly from the area of plate IB which lies beneath the portion 29 of insuiating strip it. In this case two such lugs t and i8 are provided. The opening 50 which is left in plate i by downward bending of the lug portions 46 and i8 has opposite edges 52 and 5ft to which the lugs are integrally attached. Edges 52 and li are spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the width of portion 29 of the insulating strip so that opening 5G extends ltransversely beneath strip I6 for substantially the full width of the strip. Thus the lugs lit and d8, which are initially deformed vertically downward as in the heavy line position of Fig. 2, are spaced apart a distance suicient to accommodate the width of the free end 3|. Free end 3| is accordingly doubled back against the bottom of plate |0 between the lugs 66 and t8, after which the lugs are deformed to the dotted line position of Fig. 2 to clamp the free end 3| firmly in position.

Similar lugs 55 are struck downwardly to form another opening e8 which lies beneath the area of portion 39 of the insulating strip. Lugs 5t engage and clamp the doubled back free end Si in position as shown in Fig. 3. in this gure, the free end 3| has been left unclamped while free end 32 is clamped in order to show the relative steps in assembly of the stand.

As indicated in Fig. 3, the clamping lugs 56 deform a portion iii! of free end 32 upwardly into the opening 5S. This upward deformation of free end portion tu, in combination with the doubling back of the free end around projecting lip 42, provides a strong and effective retaining means which prevents accidental withdrawal or slippage of the insulating strip out of opening 22. The remaining free ends of the respective strips I5 and |8 are, of course, clamped in position in like manner.

According to the foregoing description, a construction has been provided in which aflexible insulating strip is readily attached to a supporting plate ||l to form an ironing stand which has a minimum of parts, which can be made by simple stamping and bending operations, and in which rm attachment of the insulating material is achieved without the use of unsightly screws or rivets which might also mar the surface of the iron to be placed on the stand.

Since minor variations andr changes in the exact details of construction will be apparent to persons skilled in this field, it is intended that this invention shall cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the attached claims.

Now, therefore, I claim:

1. An ironing stand comprising a horizontal supporting plate having an opening therein, a combination supporting and heat-insulating member having an iron-supporting portion extending across a substantial area of the upper surface of the plate adjacent the opening with a free end extending down through the opening and lying substantially parallel to and against the undersurface of the plate adjacent the opening, and an integral portion ci the plate adjacent the opening being bent downwardly from the plane or" the plate and engaging and clamping the free end of the member against the under surace of the plate, the clamping engagement of said free end by said integral portion of the plate constituting the sole securing means for the insulating member at said free end.

2. An ironing stand comprising a horizontal metal supporting plate having at least two spaced openings therein, a combination supporting and heat-insulating member having an iron-supportd ing portion extending across the upper surface of the plate between the openings with a free end extending down through each opening, and an integral lug struck downwardly from the plane of the plate adjacent at least one opening and engaging and clamping the corresponding free end or" the member against the bottom of the plate, the clamping engagement of said corresponding free end by said integral lug constituting the sole securing means for the insulating member at said corresponding free end.

3. An ironing stand according to claim 2 in which the integral lug is located beneath the portion of the insulating member extending across the top of the plate.

4. An ironing stand comprising a horizontal metal supporting plate having an opening therein, an insulating member having a portion extending across the top of the plate adjacent i the opening with a free end extending down through the opening and doubled back against the bottom of the plate beneath said portion, and clamping means on the plate located beneath said portion and engaging said free end.

5. An ironing stand according to claim 4 in which the clamping means comprises at least one integral lug struck from an area of the plate located beneath said portion and substantially concealed by said portion.

6. An ironing stand comprising a horizontal metal supporting plate having separate rows of at least two spaced openings each, an insulating strip at each row, each strip having a portion extending across the top of the plate between the spaced openings with its free ends passing down through the openings and doubled back against the bottom of the plate beneath said portion, and integral clamping means on the plate beneath said portion engaging and holding said free ends.

7. A stand according to claim 6 in which the clamping means includes at least one integral lug struck from an area of the plate located beneath said portion and substantially concealed by said portion.

8. An ironing stand comprising a horizontal metal supporting plate having an opening therein, a flexible insulating strip having a portion extending across the top of the plate adjacent the opening with a free end passing down through the opening and doubled back against the bottom of the plate beneath said portion, and a pair of lugs struck from an area of the plate beneath said portion to form a second opening, the free end lying between said lugs and being engaged and partially deformed into the second opening by the lugs.

9. An ironing stand according to claim 8 in which the plate includes a downwardly projecting lip at the edge of the first mentioned opening, said free end being doubled back around the lip, and said lugs being located substantially adjacent the lips.

10. An ironing stand comprising a horizontal metal supporting plate having an opening therein, a flexible insulating strip having a portion extending across the top of the plate adjacent the opening with a free end passing down through the opening and doubled back against the bottom of the plate beneath said portion. and a pair of lugs struck from an area of the plate beneath said portion to form a second opening, the lugs being integrally connected to the plate at opposite edges of the second opening which are substantially parallel to the strip portion and spaced transversely corresponding to the Width of said strip portion, the free end lying between said lugs and being engaged and partially deformed into the second opening by the lugs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

